My Own Adventure
by FrankenMoMo
Summary: Lilac Took longs for her own adventure and gets the chance when she finds herself in the land of the mighty dwarves. Can her young heart withstand the raging conflict that plagues her soul when she finds herself falling for the prince of Erebor? Or will she give up on the adventures she dreamed of when she realizes, not all stories have a happy ending? AU Fili/OC Thorin/OC
1. Chapter 1

*All rights belong to J.R.R Tolkien; I own nothing but my characters and the plot. Please read and review!*

White fluffy clouds rolled through a clear blue sky, the sun shined bright and warmed my cheeks just before a light breeze cooled them.

The soft green grass of the Shire's hills cradled me as I lay back, daydreaming of far off lands and fierce battles with creatures unknown to this calm, peaceful, and boring land. I longed for an adventure. Birds chirped their morning song and the sound of my fellow hobbits could be heard in the distance.

A sigh of boredom pushed its way past my pink lips, my deep red ringlets lay sprawled out among the blades of pale green, and differing shades of brown, green, blue and gray, swirled within my eyes as I lazily gazed upon the sky.

I adored the Shire; it was full of family and friends. It has become my home, but no matter how much I tried, I continuously failed to contain the restless stir within my soul. I longed for more than the shire had to offer.

I wanted to leave the shire and venture out into the world. The thought of long travels, new discoveries, and even fierce battles excited me.

The books that littered Uncle Bilbo's study occupied a large amount of my time with their tales; the pages filled my head with endless ideas of the world outside of Baggened.

But still my heart and soul were not satisfied, they longed for the real thing. At times I worry I will never have my chance to make my own stories, but I worry even more over whether I will have the courage to except my chance.

Will I run and hide? Or will I sum up all of the courage my Took spirit has and really live?

"Lilac!" a bell like voice called out to me, breaking me from my trance. I rose from my place in the field and looked back to see my beloved friend, Ember, racing toward me.

Her knee length tan skirt flowed behind her as her short, slim legs ate up the distance, her crisp white long sleeve shirt was buttoned to her throat and sagged on her petite frame; her modest nature prohibited her from wearing anything "Too reveling".

Her short copper curls bounced on top of her head, her freckled cheeks were flushed, and midnight blue eyes shined in the light of day, the doe like eyes were framed by long thick lashes and her full lips were parted in an effort to breathe. She skidded to a halt, her large, hairy, Hobbit feet dug into the soft dirt.

A lazy grin spread over my cheeks as I return to my position under the sky. "What's your hurry? Find a new Dwar-" I was interrupted by her shriek "Why didn't you tell me you were going to Erebor!?" Her chest rose and fell in quick movements and she attempted to calm her breathing.

My brows furrowed in confusion "I'm as surprised as you are!" I stood; my own large, hairy feet supported my small frame.

Ember crossed her arms over her chest, one delicate eyebrow raised over the other in a questioning look. I nodded my head "Let's just go talk to Uncle."

We made our way through the trails, smiling politely and greeting our neighbors as we went.

The smell of fresh baked breads drafted from the bakers, the children at play could be heard in fields, and the merry chatter of the hobbit-folk that were currently spending their time outside in the fresh air of the bright spring day.

Finally my Uncle's Hobbit hole came into view, the mark left by Gandalf the Grey those many years air go, still remained, Uncle always said "It is a reminder of my adventures."

His kind heart welcomed my brother and me into his home when our parents passed in a dreaded drowning accident.

Within the confines of the fence, flowers grew in all shades of every color; the grass was a deep jade green and was dusted with light dew.

The window sill was joined by small potted flowers of sunshine yellow and within the confines of the window Uncle Bilbo could be seen zipping through the house.

We made our way into the hole, the smell of pipe weed, leather back books; soft fabrics of the aged furniture and a home cook soup simmering over the fire mingled and gave the humble home a comforting atmosphere.

Uncle Bilbo hurried through the winding halls of the home, his arms full of books, papers and clothes. My younger brother, little Frodo, trailed close behind, his little dark curls bouncing as he waddled along.

"We're back!" Ember and I called out in unison. Quickly after our call he responded from the other end of the hole "Oh good! I have some fantastic news!" Wondering the halls in hopes of catching my Uncle deemed itself impossible. "Let me guess, "we're going on an adventure!'" I spoke in a teasing tone.

The sound of feet skidding to a halt drew my attention to the room behind me, "Who told you!?" he yelled in an outraged tone, as I turned on my heels to meet his gaze, my finger found its way to Ember's cheek.

Her face was deep within the pages of one of Uncle's books. She squeaked in surprise and the book fell from her hands, "W-What did I do?"

"You ruined my surprise!?"Uncle Bilbo scolded, his brows furrowed.

"I didn't know! I heard it from the girls in town!" She squealed as she hurried to hide behind the plush red chair that had been Uncle's favorite for years.

I smiled at the sudden warm memory of him reading to me as child, the fire would blaze and send smoke up the chimney.

A warm cup of tea placed in my hands, an extra cube of sugar placed in secret, mother wouldn't approve of sugar so late at night and best of all Uncle Bilbo's soothing voice bringing the adventure within the pages to life.

My thoughts were cut short when I felt a tug on my knee length pants, glancing down; I met the adorable face of my younger brother.

"Li-Li!" Frodo chirped with a large grin on his slightly round face, his blue eyes shined bright. I lifted him into my arms and squeezed him tight.

The sound of his laughter mingled with the yelling of a scolding Bilbo and a whimpering Ember in the background brought a grin to my face.

I set him down on his hairy hobbit feet and rested my fists on my hips, a habit Uncle said I got from my mother, and let out a long sigh.

"Hey!" I yelled, catching the attention of both Bilbo and Ember. I turned my gaze onto the grown male

"Would you care to explain exactly what is happening here?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah yes!" he exclaimed "But perhaps we should take this into the dining room and have seat while we talk."

We settled around the table and Frodo climbed his way into my lap.

"Erebor?" I questioned in a confused tone while resting my arms around Frodo's small frame, I knew from Uncle's stories that he had friends that dwelled in Erebor but that was it.

He nodded his head, his deep copper hair swayed as he did. Suddenly Ember chirped excitedly, "I would give anything to walk among the halls of their great city… Did you know that Dwarves have a slow increase in population because female dwarves are so rare?" Ember, for some strange reason, held a vast knowledge and adoration for Dwarven history and culture.

It was all due to her fascination with their secretive nature and the history that surrounded the proud race; Uncle was the only one who understood how someone could have such a mindset and beamed at my dear friend whenever she found something new.

I smiled and glance at Bilbo who met my gaze with a grin, "So why are we going?" I asked and Bilbo's back straightened and his grin grew, "My friends have invited me to celebrate the reclaiming of Erebor, and I thought it would be a wonderful experience for you and Frodo."

He nodded his head as if to assure himself he was correct "I think you will both love it, oh Lilac you will adore it!"

I let out an exaggerated smile "Oh Uncle!" I threw my arm over my eyes and leaned my head back in a theatrical pose, careful not to disturb a drowsy Frodo, "What shall I do when I find myself in undeniable boredom!?" Ember's eyes double in size as she entered a shocked state, "How could you possibly be bored in Erebor!?" She all but shrieked at me.

I peeked out from under my arm and shot her a look, her brows furrowed in confusion before shooting up into her hairline and an audible gasp escaped her pink lips.

"You're trying to…" she quickly clamped her mouth shut and stared at my Uncle in an anxious excitement that had her almost shaking.

Uncle Bilbo eyed us both skeptically "All right go ahead and spare us your act, what do you want, Lilac?" I straightened my posture and met his gaze, a pout on my lips, "Can Ember come to?" from the corner of my eye I saw Ember tense, her blue eyes blazed with an inner fire that was rarely ever seen.

"Hmm…" Uncle pondered "Well… I don't see a problem with it, besides it's not like they would turn me away because I brought along another friend!" he exclaimed excitedly as he turned his eyes onto Ember.

"But we must leave in the morning, bright and early." The female's eyes burned passionately as she sprung to her feet, her chair falling to the floor with a 'BAM!' due to her sudden movement and I felt Frodo jerk in his sleep before settling back into his slumber, and before either of us could respond she ran towards the door, her fiery curls bouncing with her movements, yelling "I'll be ready by morning!" she ultimately stumbled and nearly ran into the door, she paused to regain her bearings, smoothed out her skirt, attempted to tame her short hair, and straightened her shirt before throwing the door open and disappearing into the shadows, still yelling "See you guys first thing in the morning!" after herself.

Uncle and I shared a laugh and when I glanced down at little Frodo I saw he had curled himself into a little ball while sleeping in my arms, I looked towards Uncle who was gazing upon the sleeping face of the young hobbit… He had changed since his adventures with Gandalf but his eyes were brightened by an inner flame.

The beautiful spark has been missing from his eyes for what seemed forever, the youthful spirit shining through his eyes and from his very soul.

"Uncle… Why are we taking such a sudden trip?" His tired smile revealed the softness that still remained from his long journeys to worlds unknown, "What is stopping me from enjoying my youth with the ones I cherish most?" a smile moved my lips as he continued "and what a marvelous way to spend ones time."

He placed a warm, calloused hand over mine "I find myself missing my Dwarven friends," he paused and stared off, amusement twinkling in his dark blue eyes at a fond memory, "sometimes it feels as if I belong in Erebor instead of in the Shire" he chuckled to himself and smiled kindly at me.

"Well we have a big day tomorrow, you should pack and get some sleep, dear girl" he said softly, after squeezing my hand he rose from his seat and padded off, leaving me alone with my thoughts of an adventure within the walls of Erebor.

What would it be like? Would they like me? Would I find that adventure I wanted for so long? So many thoughts and ideas ran through my mind, all the time I watched the flames dance within the confines of the stone fireplace; soon I rose to my feet while cradling Frodo in my arms and my back cracked in protest.

I made my way silently to mine and Frodo's room. I laid the small boy within his bed; his bags were packed and ready at the end of his bed, no doubt my dear friends' doing.

I smiled at his tiny sleeping form, his curls were sprawled out over his plush pillow, his little body curled up under the thick dark blue quilt that Ember and I made, and soft snores blew from his parted lips.

With an excited smile I began the process of quietly packing for the weeks to follow, not expecting any of what was to come.


	2. Chapter 2

*All rights belong to J.R.R Tolkien; I own nothing but my characters and the plot. Please read and review!*

I was awakened by a low and slightly panicked shout, "Wake up! Wake up!" Bilbo hollered as he ran through the house, attempting to wake us up and ready himself at the same time.

I rose from my bed; deep red hair fell from my scalp in disarray and shielded my multi-colored eyes from the sunlight peeking through the cracked window.

"What's going on?" I muttered voice thick with sleep and slurred by an unexpected yawn.

A petite frame colliding with my own and a sudden sharp pain cleared my sluggish mind. "You all over slept!" Ember's bell like voice screeched in my ear as she lunged on my bed to rip the brush through my unruly hair. I winced in pain "OW! Ember!" I whined as she ruthlessly freed my hair of the pesky tangles, "If you brushed it more often it wouldn't get so..." she paused and gave an extra hard pull, ripping out a few unfortunate strands of my hair in the process. I unwillingly sat and endured the pain, wiggling in my bed, and waiting to escape Ember's death grip. All the while I watched Bilbo scurry in and out of my room, gathering bags and supplies as he went.

Due to all of the chaos, Frodo woke from his slumber, slowly crawled from his bed; his blanket secured around his little neck and dragged across the cool wooden floor like the long robe of an egotistical king, and waddled over to me.

A yawn left his lips and he grumbled "Li-Li… You loud." his nose scrunched on his face, his lips puckered, and his brows furrowed over his bright blue eyes, in his signature angry face. A smile pulled at my lips, I did my best to hold a serious facade in order to avoid one of his "I'm mad at you" fits.

I placed a hand atop his wonderfully messy dark curls and said in the most sincere way I could possibly manage while speaking to the three year olds absolutely adorable angry face, "I am so sorry little Frodo, forgive me?"

He paused and evaluated me, checking for the authenticity of my apology, then a goofy grin stretched his lips "It ok, Li-Li!" and with that he was gone, off running around the house, his long quilt tucked around his neck and trailing behind him as he went in search of trouble.

"There!" Ember stepped back and admired her work with sparkling midnight blue eyes; her own deep red ringlets twisted into a neat bun and said with a giggle, "Be glad you're not a dwarf! Then we would be braiding a beard along with your stubborn ringlets!" she giggled even more, most likely imagining my smooth jaw covered in thick red hair, braided up into the hair resting on top of my head.

I grinned and rolled my eyes, pinching her lightly on the arm teasingly, once the sting of harsh hair-pulling left my scalp and I rose from my bed with a small relieved smile and quickly dressed into my light grey, knee length pants, short sleeved white blouse, and a dark purple vest.

Before exiting the room I placed my satchel over my head, resting the bag on my hip, and then tied my favorite lavender cloak around my neck. With Ember close behind, still fussing with her dark brown skirt and crisp white button up blouse, we made our way through the halls and outside into the bright light of the spring day.

Just as it was yesterday, the sun shined happily, white fluffy clouds glided along with the light breeze, the sweet smell of newly budding flowers drifted on the wind, and birds were heard singing softly as the bright green leaves in the trees twirled gently in the wind.

Frodo sat in the gated yard, in the pale green grass, picking small flowers and plucking random blades of grass. Thankfully, Uncle Bilbo had already dressed Frodo, he wore his little tan pants, pale blue shirt now lightly stained with the fresh dirt, and his dark brown cloak was secured around his neck.

"Frodo," Uncle Bilbo hollered as he shuffled through the house, "Lilac! Where is Frodo? He's not in the house!" he came to a stumbling halt at the door; breathing labored, dirty blonde curls messy, and blue eyes slightly wide with growing concern.

Frodo's squealing laughter alerted Uncle of his presence, the little baby hobbit was running among the garden, chasing a little hungry rabbit. A long sigh of relief left Bilbo's lips "Thank goodness…" he turned his gaze to us and chirped, "Come girls, there is still a lot to do before we leave!"

We followed after Uncle and began the long process of loading the small wagon of our possessions.

Once the easy work was done we all did our best to corral the bundle of energy that was baby Frodo. He ran and laughed as I chased him around the small yard, doing my best to scoop him up. Frodo squealed in glee just as I finally snatched him into my arms, he giggled and squirmed as I tickled his ribs while laughing manically.

Uncle Bilbo took his place in the driver's seat of the wagon, Frodo and Ember took their place beside him, of course after Ember fell flat on her bottom repeatedly trying to hop in the wagon, and I climbed aboard my own little chestnut mare.

"Are we all here?" Uncle looked behind in search of all the familiar faces and nodded in satisfaction. His smile was radiant "Excellent! Here we go!"

With grins planted on all of our faces we pushed on, Bilbo leading the way with the wagon and I followed up behind. We began our way to Erebor, all of us so full of excitement at the wonder that awaited us on the other side of the mountains.


	3. Chapter 3

*All rights belong to J.R.R Tolkien; I own nothing but my characters and the plot. Please read and review!*

The sun rose and set as we made our way through the northern trail, advancing closer and closer to mirkwood. Luck had been on our side and the rain clouds remained in the west and watered the gardens of the Shire.

The sun shined through the leaves on the trees and lit up the path before us. The trip so far had been smooth and full of Uncle's stories of the past. Laughs had been shared and the smiles were unending.

It was when the sun set on our third day of travel that Uncle Bilbo introduced us to the companions of his long journey.

We sat around the warm crackling fire, little Frodo perched in my lap, his soft black curls tickled my chin and his small hands played with the blanket draped over my shoulders. Ember was huddled in close to the fire, the flames light up her delicate face and pronounced her freckles, her always curious midnight blue eyes watched the stars in the night sky and her petite frame was also draped in a soft blanket. Bilbo was actively scurrying around the campsite, picking familiar herds, chopping vegetables; he took a moment to light and puff on his pipe before he continued mumbling to himself. His young blue eyes sparkled in the light of the fire; his excited small smile giving him a childish glee, the brightness and warmth of his apparent joy radiated a fiercer heat than the fire before us. He was imagining Erebor and its majesty.

The wind was cool and bit at our exposed skin. The stars lit up the dark sky, the hoot of an owl was heard in the distance, and crickets chirped a soft lullaby. The fire crackled and popped while its flames danced before my eyes, and the smell of the stew brought back thoughts of home.

"Uncle?" I asked while raising my multi-colored gaze from the fire to Bilbo. A puff of smoke blew out of his nose, "Yes, my dear?" He looked away from his memories and began to clean his pipe as he waited for me to proceed, his blue eyes grew slightly curious, and his smile was bright. "Can you tell us about your companions? The Dwarves who accompanied you?"

Ember's curiosity overwhelmed her, the possibility of learning something new was too much for her to contain, her eyes grew wide and her skin flushed lightly "Oh yes please tell us! Is it true that they're immune to human diseases?" A smile spread over her face, her eyes sparkling brightly, and her bell like voice rang with her excitement.

I smiled and shook my head, my deep red curls fell into my eyes, forcing me to flip my head and clear my sight. Ember was known all around the Shire for her random question and unquenchable curiosity.

Uncle's smile was wide and full of pure joy "Ah, my Dwarven friends. They are a lively bunch, not ones for the quiet life; I can most definitely assure you of that! Yes Ember," he chuckled at Ember's intense gaze as she waited on her answer, "They were never sick during our travels…" He paused "Well for the most part… But that is a story for another time!"

He seemed to pause and contemplate his next choice of words; reminding me of the face Frodo would make when the small Hobbit concentrated really hard on one of his new discoveries. "Hmm… Where shall I begin?" Then his eyes brightened, "Ah! I'll start with the youngest!"

His enthusiasm grew with every word, "Ori, he was the smallest and youngest of our company. He was responsible for documenting each event and for finding ever piece of scripture needed for our adventure. He is not the warrior type; he is a kind timid soul."

Ember and I let out a soft affectionate squeal at the thought of such a sweet little Dwarfling.

"His brothers, Nori and Dori, were also among us. Nori is Ori's older brother; one of the most memorable things about him was his unusual hair, though there is normally nothing normal about a dwarf's hair and beard. Nori's resembles a star! He was also known as an excellent thief!" Uncle Bilbo laughed, "Once he was caught stealing the elves silver wear! But he was always a good Dwarf, a loyal companion, and an excellent fighter"

Frodo wiggled in my lap, making the blanket fall from my shoulders, and giggled at his uncle's excitement, his coos caught everyone's attention and caused us to grin.

"Dori was the oldest of the trio, he acted as a mother hen, and a majority of his time was spent caring for Ori." Bilbo chuckled once more his eyes glowed with joy.

Ember remained silent, absorbing as much as she could from this little lesson. Her midnight blue eyes shined and her full lips were slightly parted in awe.

"They sound like quite a family! What of the others you traveled with? I recall you saying there were twelve?" my question escaped on a laugh, as I pictured the three brothers bickering and pestering one another.

Bilbo shook his head and leaned forward to stir the stew, "There were thirteen Dwarves." He spent a moment thinking before grinning once more at the stew bubbling before him. "Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur." Ember leaned in further, eyes wide with wonder, "Why do their names rhyme?" she wondered aloud.

"Because they were related, Bofur and Bombur are brothers and Bifur is their cousin." Bilbo explained before continuing with his explanations, "Bofur is a dear friend, he was the first one to truly except me, though he has quite a silver tongue, he genuinely cares for his friends and family."

Uncle took a moment to collect his thoughts then continued "Bombur was our cook, he was a very… large dwarf, but he was quiet and kind. Their cousin on the other hand… He was hard to understand. He speaks another language; I assume it was Dwarven. Many believe it is due to the orc axe protruding from his forehead!"

"He has a… an axe? Sticking out of his head?" Ember flinched clearly picturing the wound and shuddered making her copper curls bounce with the movement. I shook my head "Talk about a killer headache." I snickered before hissing at the sharp stinging pinch on my arm and looking into Ember's dark disapproving gaze with a scowl, "Ow!"

Ember pinched me once more, "That is not funny, Lilac!" but even though her tone was firm and her blue gaze was stern, her full lips curled at their corners.

I pouted and rubbed my arm, soothing the sting. Bilbo simply shook his head causing his light brown curls to shake on top of his head. "Gloin was very weary of those he did not know; he once almost assaulted the Lord of Rivendell! He was also quite stubborn and stingy!"

He sighed, took another puff of his pipe, and shook his head.

"His older brother Oin was our doctor, the only problem was he could hardly hear and he had to carry a trumpet with him wherever he went just so he could attempt to hear what the others had to say. I felt so sorry for him when that nasty goblin crushed it under his foot, though it was quite funny when he told the Goblin king…" Bilbo deepened his voice, squinted his eyes and cupped his hand around his ear, making Frodo squeal with laughter and burry his face in my chest "'you're going to have to speak up your boys flattened my trumpet.' "

Uncle snorted while laughing, his mess of brown curls flopped around and he braced his arms on his knees to catch his breath.

With wide gleeful blue eyes Bilbo then began to hum and sing a song he mentioned in his tales during my childhood, a song he called Goblin Town.

Sensing the joy in his uncle, Frodo joined in the song; his dark hair flew in the breeze and occasionally hit his round cheeks. Soon Frodo was unable to contain himself, he began to clap his hands and jump from my lap. His large feet stomped the ground, his body wiggled to an unheard music, and his laughter soon turned to a series of babbling. He was trying to sing along with Bilbo as the older Hobbit continued to sing.

Ember and I reached the same conclusion simultaneously and both released a squeal of delight. Ember and I clapped our hands along with Frodo, encouraging his expressive behavior. Bilbo joined in with the fun, rising from his seat, leaving a burned out pipe behind him, and began to dance along with Frodo. He joined hands with the hobbit boy and twirled around the fire with him; all while humming and singing.

A grin came to my face at the happy site. Frodo and Bilbo both laughing and smiling like the children they both are. Ember's delight was clear in her eyes but her smile was hesitant. Grinning to myself I rose to my feet and grasped her delicate hands in my own and pulled her forward next to the laughing Hobbits; we began to dance. Ember laughed and danced with ungraceful leaps and twirls; her skin glowed and her smile was that of a free hobbit. Frodo was making his own little dance, consisting of jumps, shakes, and babbles. All of us stomped our large hairy feet, twirled our journey-sore bodies to the sound of Uncle's song; we were eventually all singing to the catchy tune. "Down, Down, Down in Goblin Town!" we all squealed as we concluded our dance.

Once all had resettled, Bilbo plopped down next to the fire and stirred the stew once more and then began pouring hefty bowls of the fragrant stew.

Frodo ate quickly, smothering his chubby cheeks in the broth, Ember assisted in wiping his sweet face clean, once his belly was full and his face was clean he curled himself up on his pallet, and soon his light snore could be heard. Ember placed his blanket over him and kissed his forehead.

"Uncle Bilbo, can you finish telling us about the dwarves?" Ember said in a hushed tone so she would not disturb the sleeping Frodo.

His smile was kind but tired, "I shall, but let us wait till morning. We have a long day tomorrow." With that said he laid out his blanket, placed his feather pillow at its end, and laid down for the night.

Moments later he snored simultaneously with little Frodo, both of their curls sprawled out over their pillows, and there occasional twitch were all so similar. No one could not deny that we were family.

"What do you think it'll be like?" Ember asked solemnly as we sat beside one another.

I glanced at my best friend, she was looking into the slowly dying fire, her expression was one full of anxious excitement and her eyes glowed like the flames that kept us warm.

"What exactly?" I questioned as I laid out my own blanket and pillow; my red ringlets fell over my shoulder obscuring the view of my multicolored eyes slightly.

"Erebor and the dwarves. Do you think Bilbo's friends will like us?" she turned her anxious gaze to me, her expression radiated her fear and her full lips quivered, almost unnoticeably, at the thought of being hated by the race she cherished.

"Of course they will" I grinned "Who wouldn't like us?"

Her smile was small and nervous, "I wonder what his friends will think of us… You know dwarves are very secretive and don't trust easily." She wiped her pixie nose with a soft handkerchief, "It is very unusual for Dwarves to accept new comers soon after their meeting."

I nodded my head, "Yeah, you've told me." Lying down on my blanket, I looked up at the stars. "We'll be alright Ember. What's the worst thing that could happen?"

I turned my gaze to the small hobbit, her slender hands were working on neatly laying out her blanket, her movements were so smooth and graceful; her eyes were calm. Seeing her fluid motions made it hard to believe she was normally quite clumsy. Her face was a soft innocence; her rosy freckled cheeks were brushed sweetly by the long thick lashes that framed her large midnight doe eyes, her full lips pushed into a natural pout and were a soft pink.

Such frail beauty was rare in our time, a true innocence; it still amazed me that her father allowed her to leave the Shire. Her father was one to raise his daughter with morals and one to teach her how to be a woman that would attract the "correct" man for her. Ember's father is not cruel, he loves his daughter with all of his being; he simply wants her to behave like a "Young female should" and be taken care of by her future husband.

My trail of thought was broken by Ember's sudden reply, "Lilac, you know that when it's me and you, a lot can happen and we always end up in trouble." She giggled while looking at me "and I have to add that it is normally your fault we end up in the mess."

"You have a point. Don't worry; I'll just stay out of trouble this time." I looked at her with a grin.

She scoffed and smirked "Yeah I'll believe that when I see it!" she squealed as she quickly dogged my flying stick. The momentum of her sudden movement caused her to fall back and land in a puddle of mud, ruining the image of her rare moment of gracefulness. Her crisp shirt was now stained with the dark wet dirt, her skirt matched with similar markings.

"Night Ember!"

"Lilac you little-! This was my favorite shirt!"

Hearing her shriek of outrage caused a jolt of fear to jump start my heart. My gaze quickly found the baby Hobbit; he lay still asleep upon his mat, snoring loudly, and snuggled into his soft pillow. The breath I didn't realize I was holding was released from my lungs in a rush.

My relief was short live when my view of the world went horizontal as Ember's petite frame tackled me to the hard unforgiving grown. Her body was small but not short of strength and power.

"Ow! Ember! Get off!"

"You stained my shirt!"

We rose with the dawn; Frodo sat and sleepily ate his breakfast while we gathered all of our supplies into the wagon. By "we" I mean Bilbo and I. Ember spent a majority of the endeavor scrubbing her shirt, attempting to rid it of its muddy stains. Every chance she had she would spot me a lovely dirty look.

I would simply smile, wink, or send her a little kiss and then snicker at her angry red face.

After a while of her constant scrubbing she gave a relieved sigh at the sight of her stain free shirt. Satisfied she began her next task; preparing Frodo for the rest of the journey. Luckily the round faced Hobbit was still half asleep as he slowly and mechanically brought the spoon to his mouth and re-dipped it in left over stew. He was quickly dressed and placed in the wagon on top of Embers lap, where he eventually fell back asleep.

Soon we were back on the road and Bilbo continued the explanation of his friends.

"Let me see… Oh yes! Balin and Dwalin! Cousins of the king! And loving brothers! Balin is the older of the two, he is the king's advisor, he is a short, very white dwarf. You can't miss him, that long flowing beard of snow can be spotted from a mile away, but besides his beard, he is the kindest soul you could ever meet and he's just as wise." Bilbo flicked the reins, urging the ponies forward, and then continued.

"Dwalin is another unmistakable Dwarf. He is definitely the tallest and strongest one I know! He towers over the others and is nothing but pure strength. He is also a close friend of the king." He smiled fondly.

"When I first met these brothers, they arrived unexpectedly at my home, Dwalin ate my dinner, they knocked forehead so hard I thought they might break each other's skulls, and then they proceeded in eating me out of house and home!" Bilbo chuckled and grinned "I was furious."

He shook his head "Anyway, Fili and Kili are nephews to the king. Fili is the oldest and is next in line for the thrown. He's a kind gentlemen but he loves a good prank every now and then. His younger brother Kili is known for his charm and tricks. Kili's quite the prankster. But you will never find more spirited souls. Those boys are full of courage, honor and loyalty." He grinned "They were the youngest of our company! Well besides Ori."

Ember blinked in surprise and blushed lightly; I knew exactly what she was thinking. Two young, handsome, and valiant young princes in Erebor. Full of courage, driven by honor, and strengthen by their loyalty. Your signature prince charming. The thought is enough to make a girl go weak in the knees.

"What were they like Uncle? Is there anything else you remember about them?" I asked before he was able to move on to a different subject.

His smile curved into an almost mischievous grin, "Well… When we first set out on our journey together, they convinced me that we would be attacked by orcs in the dead of night, I nearly fainted and soiled myself!" he shook his head with a grumble, "Ah yes, I remember another time they left me to save a bunch of ponies from some mountain trolls, I was terrified! But they later came to my rescue."

"W-What do they look like?" Ember spoke up hesitantly beside Bilbo, her cheeks burned red, hiding her freckles and her gaze was casted down and her fingers fidgeted.

I noticed the twitch of Bilbo's lip and the glint in his eyes, he noticed our curiosity. "Well, Fili is the oldest; his hair was golden and reached a little past his shoulders. His eyes are a sapphire blue, he has a braided mustache accompanied by a neatly trimmed beard, and he was the typical soldier. He is all broad shoulders and muscles, things of that nature. He was always littered in blades; I never really knew how he could hide so many on him without them being seen." A blush dusted my cheeks without my knowledge. An image began to form in my head.

He was a tall figure, broad shoulders, tight muscles, small scars scattered over his sun kissed skin, hair as golden as sun rays fell down his shoulders and was decorated with scattered braids, his neatly trimmed beard and braided mustache surrounded full lips and emphasized his strong jaw line. The bright blue eyes of a compassionate leader, burning with a sweet intensity, and a sparkle of mischief always present, also tamed by a fierce intelligence, and were soothed with the strong, kind, and loving heart of a lion. He was fully dressed in armor and decorated with blades of many shapes and sizes. He was not your signature prince charming; he was a warrior for his people.

"And K-Kili?" Ember's soft voice squeaked, her face still hesitant and shy.

"Kili is the younger of the two, his dark hair also reaches a little past his shoulders, his eyes are brown, but unlike his brother he doesn't have a long braided beard, his consists of a light stubble, and he also has the usual soldier build; broad shoulders, muscles, armor, and weapons. He usually favored a bow and arrow"

Once again, Bilbo's words painted a picture in my head. I imagined a frame similar to the one before, broad shoulders, long flowing hair black as night, and warm chocolate eyes. His muscles would be hardened from long days of training with his elder brother, he would also have a few scars on his skin, and his armor would be similar to Fili's. The light stubble on his face would help to pronounce the strength of his jaw and the height of his cheeks, there would be no obscured view of his full lips. A charmer, a wooer of women, a trickster, but also a warrior made for the protection of what he cares for.

"And lastly, Thorin Oakensheild! The king under the mountain!" He chuckled, snapping me back to attention, "The most stubborn, hard headed, prideful, protective, loyal, strong-willed dwarf you could ever meet! He despises elves, so please leave them out of the conversation, he doesn't trust easily. He was once a blacksmith, and he is an excellent warrior." He smiled, "Thorin didn't care for me too much in the beginning. But he grew to like me after we fought beside one another."

A grin stretched over my cheeks, most likely advertising my dimples "I remember that story! You had no idea what you were doing!" my words sparked a firing inferno of laughter within me that I tried to stifle causing my shoulders shake with my effort.

"I learned!" he hollered at me, his eyes gleamed with joy and his façade of anger was not held long. Moments later he burst into another fit of laughter.

"Lilac quit pestering your Uncle!" Ember scolded me, she was still slightly soured about her beloved shirt, but her anger was always short-lived. Her nose crinkled, her brows furrowed, and her cheeks puffed out slightly, a face she adapted from her many hours with Bilbo.

I waved my hand as if fanning away her anger, "Oh quit being so touchy." I looked over at her with a charming smile, "I meant no harm by it my dear friend."

"Li-Li!" Frodo yelled from his seat next to Ember, his face crinkled, attempting to copy his other 'big sister' which caused her to snort in a very un-lady like manner.

We continued picking at one another for a majority of the journey, enjoying one another's company, laughing, talking, singing, and enjoying the changing world around us.

As the hours went on went by the Misty Mountains came into view, their peaks seemed to touch the sky and their size would have intimidated the mightiest beast. Our path quickly changed from soft grass and soil to hard rock and crumbling cliffs. Our journey through the Misty Mountains trail was taken very slowly.

The journey through was excruciatingly long but we managed to make it through the mountains well before nightfall. The mountains moved behind us and the tall green trees of Mirkwood came into view and at the mouth of the trail emerged three riders, perched on ponies and as we closed the distance between, their faces could be seen.

Sitting on top of a dark spotted mare was a dwarf dressed in dark leathers and shining armor, his hair was a dark auburn and was done in a style that resembled a star. "Nori!" I exclaimed in glee. Uncle chuckled and nodded. Perched on a fully black steed, sat a stout dwarf with a massive red beard, decorated with many braids and was joined by a full head of matching hair, two axes rested on his back and his wardrobe was similar to Nori's. I stared for a moment attempting to guess who this dwarf may be.

"Gloin." Bilbo whispered to me.

"Ah! I see... and the last one…"I muttered looking him over. He sat on a chestnut mare, his hair black and white like a skunk, random braids were tangled throughout his wild hair, and an axe protruded from his forehead. "Bombur!"

Ember giggled, all of her previous anger evaporating into thin air due to my amusing ignorance, "No, Bifur."

"Right! I'll get it eventually…" I giggled with a wave of my hand.

We came to a halt a few feet away from the Dwarves. Ember's eyes were full of fascination and Frodo smiled shyly, mumbled to himself, and curled into Ember's side.

They all climbed down from their ponies and we soon followed suit. "Nori, at your service." He said with a smile and bow. "Gloin at your service." He bowed low. Bifur spoke in the secretive Dwarven language Ember often spoke fondly of, banged his fist on his chest and bowed at his waist.

Ember and I smiled and nodded to them, "Ember and Lilac at yours."

"Well aren't you all a sight in your matching uniforms!" Bilbo gleamed as he walked forward to the Dwarves. Frodo followed close behind, being sure to latch onto his uncle's leg, his curious blue eyes watched the Dwarfs carefully.

The three rose from their bows and laughed.

"I think I look rather fetching in mine." Nori grinned while striking a pose.

"Oh please, if your head gets any bigger we'll have to drag you back in the wagon" Gloin quipped and shoved Nori causing the Dwarf to stumble.

Bifur laughed and yelled in his own words, before all three, in good-nature, slapped Bilbo on his shoulder.

Frodo gave a disapproving yell. He most likely assumed the large Dwarves were hurting his beloved Bilbo. Having caught the attention of the Dwarves, they all looked down simultaneously and looked at the angry red round faced toddler and smiled. "Well isn't he a cute lad." Nori said pinching Frodo's cheek, the little bundle of energy squealed and defended him and his uncle the only way he knew. He turned his head and dug his teeth into the unsuspecting hand.

"Ow! You little goblin! Let go! Ow! Ow! Ow!" Nori quickly tried to free his hand but was to no avail.

The other dwarves laughed at his misfortune while Bilbo looked disapprovingly at Nori and Frodo. Poor Nori was left to the wrath of my baby brother, a sigh pushed from my lips and I straightened my shoulders.

I stomped my feet firmly into the ground, perched my curled fists on my hips, my brows furrowed, and my eyes narrowed, "Frodo Baggins!" my voice boomed, just like my mother's used too. "What on middle earth do you think you are doing? Let him go, now!"

Looking like a wounded puppy, Frodo loosened his jaw, just enough for Nori to free his hand.

Frodo turned his little head and looked up at me with big sad eyes, "Li-Li…."

I pursed my lips and spoke firmly "Come here this instant." Slowly the little one hobbled over to me and hugged my leg in an apology for his actions.

I scooped him up into my arms and made my way over to my uncle's old friends.

"I'm so sorry for his behavior; he is skittish around new people." I made a small curtsy "My name is Lilac; I am Uncle Bilbo's niece."

"A-And I'm Ember.." a small voice spoke up from behind me, during my apology Ember had scurried away from the wagon and made her way towards the rest of the group. "I-I…" Ember cleared her throat and raised her hoarse voice, "I-I'm Lilac's friend…"

All of the Dwarves welcomed us with warm smiles and mentioned the many times Bilbo had spoken of us in his letters, causing Ember and I to flush with pride and Bilbo to cough at being caught gushing over us.

Our welcomes came to an end as the sun began to descend in the sky and we were forced to continue our greetings and conversations while we continued our trip.

Our travels through mirkwood were peaceful and once more full of chatter between Bilbo and his longtime friends. Ember and I simply relaxed on my pony sharing our own little conversations and left Uncle and Frodo to enjoy the company of the Dwarves.

Suddenly our little stroll through the woods turned uneasy. The gentle breeze began to bite at my cheeks and howl in my ears, the shadows of the trees now seemed jagged and sinister; the occasional rustle of leaves became ominous. My heart began to race at the constant nagging of my instincts, the hairs on my neck stood on end and my stomached turned. I felt as if someone were watching me.

I slowly glanced around, scanning my surroundings. I saw nothing but the uneasy feeling refused to cease. I glanced back at Ember and noticed her scanning the area with her brows furrowed and eyes full of worry. She attempted to subtly shift closer to me before she froze and pointed at a large print imbedded in the mud.

"Lilac what is that?" Ember's shaking voice whispered to me. I glanced down into the dirt and stared at the large paw print, "It looks like a wolf… but w-wolves aren't nearly as big…" I said while trying to mask the growing panic I felt.

Ember stared in deep thought before her eyes widened and her face paled, "I read that there are creatures called Wargs, they are supposedly much larger wolves and they are used as transportation and battle… by Orcs."

I could feel the color drain from my face and my heart pound in my chest. "W-Why would they come so close to the kingdom of the woodland elves and so close to Erebor?" I croaked.

"I-I don't know, I need a closer look… J-Just to be sure." Ember hopped down from the pony and proceeded to pull one of her many books out of her bag that she had slung over her shoulder. As she inspected the tracks, I hopped down and moved beside her, all the while, listening to her facts on the Wargs.

"In older times when the Dwarven race was at constant battle with the Orc race, many times the Orcs would use these large ferocious creatures as an advantage in battle." She walked among the leaves searching for the next print in the tracks. "Wolves and Wargs have an identical speed and stamina but the Warg's leg span gives them an advantage when traveling since they are quite larger than the average wolf. A Warg can travel double the distance as a wolf."

She spoke as she continued to follow after the tracks, measuring and inspecting the distance of the leaps and size of the paws.

"So basically a large vicious carnivorous beast who is probably five times our size?" I croaked out as I slowly scanned our surroundings. I then realized that Ember and I had wondered away from the group and off the trail.

Ember rose from her crouched position, "S-Sounds about right…" she barely whispered and turned to face me, her face pale and dark blue eyes full of fear.

While we stared at each other in terror, the sudden rustle of leaves and snaps of twigs had us flinching and clinging to one another, and our eyes stared in the direction of the sound. Watching and waiting in terror as the sound got closer.

**Hey guys I just wanted to express my deepest apologizes for this extremely late chapter. It's been a couple of months full of computer bugs, work, stress, and writers block. Hope you guys like this chapter! I'll post again as soon as I can!**


End file.
